In a catalytic cracking process wherein the cracking catalyst is poisoned and contaminated by metal present in the feedstock, an improved process for the removal of such metal poisons as nickel, iron and/or vanadium is employed which comprises contacting a regenerated and sulfided catalyst with an oxygen-containing gas in a defined temperature range of from about 525.degree. F. to about 725.degree. F. and washing at least a portion of the metal poisons from the catalyst. A preferred wash solution is a reductive wash medium comprising a saturated, aqueous solution of SO.sub.2. The vanadium and nickel metals may be recovered from the resultant used wash solution for possible metallurgical use. The washed catalyst may also be subjected to subsequent oxidative washes such as a hydrogen peroxide wash prior to its return to the catalytic cracking process.